Modern Network Architecture

Building technical leadership

One of the problems many CEO’s face is their technology teams. These teams manage the technical systems that touch every aspect of the business. Well run Information Technology (IT) can be a huge competitive advantage for the organization. When the business vision, strategy, goals and culture align with the technology, business growth naturally follows. Yet for most organizations this type of business technology alignment is just not there. A poorly aligned but well-meaning technology group can drag an entire business organization off course and sometimes into bankruptcy. For the CEO in an industry where top competitors have well run IT departments, understanding this alignment becomes even more critical.

The key to aligning technology and the organization is a developing a leadership culture within the IT group. One of the weaknesses of any IT department is not a lack of leadership. The IT Group is a breeding ground for leadership. In order to be successful technicians become experts in planning, design, execution and day to day management of tactical business systems. Each new technology added to the organization and each upgrade of that technology is training, testing and building leadership within the IT organization. These leaders are developing their own strategies and their own tactics. The weakness is that these leaders are largely ignored and discounted within the business organization. As I learn about leadership I think it’s odd that most of these IT team members probably don’t see themselves as leaders. This may be because, as a group, most IT leaders have no mentors within the organizations leadership culture. They are in essence, self-taught leaders. So they have no common language, culture or experience with traditional business leadership cultures

The opportunity for the CEO is to mentor this leadership into a traditional leadership culture. There is a risk that the CEO and the other business leaders may be challenges by very intelligent technical experts. As a Seattle IT Consultant I’ve worked with CEO’s on this very problem. This can be disconcerting. The CEO will have to go back to the basics in order to be ready for those challenges. The rewards for accepting this challenge is a whole new breed of leadership within the organization. More importantly by aligning the leadership within the technology groups with traditional business leadership new opportunities will appear. By integrating the technical leadership with the traditional leadership solutions will be created for many of today’s newest business problems.

I agree to TechTarget's Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.

I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.

Processing your reply...

There was an error processing your information. Please try again later.

I agree to TechTarget's Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.

I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.

Processing your reply...

About This Blog

Modern Network Architecture Investigates the diversity required when designing network infrastructure. We discuss the technologies and unexpected challenges. We may even laugh (or cry) thinking about the people and political situations that come up when designing modern network infrastructure.